Body Lift

Congratulations! Whether it’s the product of a positive change in lifestyle to include a healthy diet and exercise, or through the use of surgical methods like gastric bypass or lap band, you’ve managed to lose a significant amount of weight. The pride you feel is deserved. However, there remains a problem. You still have a significant amount of loose skin below your breasts, above your belly button (the upper abdomen), and along your sides.

If you have lost a considerable amount of weight following an extended period of diet and exercise, lap band or gastric bypass surgery and, as a consequence, have been left with rolls or folds of excess skin, Verne Weisberg, M.D., F.A.C.S., and the rest of the professional staff at Plastic Surgery Center in Portland Maine are ready to assist you in creating a sculpted, contoured, and flat abdominal region using a procedure called corset trunkplasty or less formally, a corset lift.

A corset trunkplasty or lift is a surgical procedure designed to remove excess skin from the upper and lower portions of your abdomen in order to produce a smoother, firmer, more contoured abdomen. By removing the excess skin, the Corset Trunkplasty can provide you with a completely flat abdomen and full-length waistline.

Because a corset lift is surgery, some preparation is required. This preparation will include discontinuing some medications. . Additionally, if you smoke, we advise you to quit all nicotine (including patches) three months in advance of your surgery. In addition to these general preparations, Dr. Weisberg evaluates each patient’s individual circumstance to determine what is and is not permissible before your corset lift.

The corset trunkplasty takes about five hours to complete, depending on the size of your frame and the amount of excess skin to be removed. The procedure itself involves three incisions to maximize skin removal and improve overall body shape of the patient’s midsection. There is a midline incision which has the greatest impact on reducing the size of the waist. As a consequence, there is a prominent vertical scar that may initially be a concern, but in most patients this scar fades significantly over time.

Recovery from the corset lift is less involved than for a lower body lift, and about the same as our traditional abdominoplasty in Maine surgery. Still, you are advised to wear a compression garment for three weeks and take it easy for six weeks. However, you can comfortably lie on your back, since all the incisions are on the front of the body.

The result typical of a corset trunkplasty is a completely flat and contoured waistline. Beyond that, patients who had a corset lift report a simplified hygiene routine (no more folds of skin to clean under), better fitting clothes, along with an improved confidence and self-image.